I Surrender
by Renata Swift
Summary: He felt dead to the world. He knew he didn't stand a chance without it, so he surrendered. Rileycentric, a side story for the Mercy Me! Chronicles.


**I Surrender **

* * *

**Finally got around to typing this - I just didn't have the time before.**** I've been struggling to stay afloat in the sea of work that has been poured onto me (and others in my grade). But here it is. It's short, though, But I hope some of you like it anyway. **

**This is a companion piece to the _Mercy Me! Chronicles,_ and it is for maverickiceman (you will not believe how much he harassed me to write a Riley-centric fic). So, maverickiceman, here it is. Don't care if you like it or not, 'cause I know you.**

**But whatever. **

* * *

_Happy, smiling faces everywhere._

How could they be so happy? Couldn't they see the world was swimming? It certainly was to him.

_A riot of colours._

He felt like his legs were weights. He felt like he was dying.

_The flashing lights._

It had all begun at the very top. The breeze had hit his face, and he had taken in the world for what it was – a sea of glittering buildings, that seemed so very far away. But the nausea had engulfed him, slowly and without warning, like a disease awakening after many long years, after staying dormant.

_Where am I? Where am I going?_

Even with his feet on the ground, they were wobbly and unsteady – like Jell-O. The throbbing in his head was getting worse, like a pain of congo drums being beaten upon constantly.

_Thump, thump, thump…_

He could just make out structures, and the faces of concerned looking people, clutching the hands of their smiling, squealing children.

_Thump, thump, thump…_

He turned around, in a circle, in shock. What was that noise? It sure sounded familiar…like the thumping of his own heart…

_Strangers everywhere…_

Where were his companions? He knew he had come with some. Had they abandoned him, knowing what would happen, not wanting to see him in pain, in a dazed and confused state, to leave him there…to die?

_And that song…it never stops…_

The song was continuously swimming around in his head. It went on, and on, and on…It made him picture elephants and shiny red spheres and white faces.

_So much confusion…_

He hated clowns. Always had. And the way they threw cream pies in your face. He hated cream pies too. But they were delicious when eaten…

_Must…get…food…_

His stomach growled loudly, scaring a little girl who was standing beside him. He felt like he hadn't eaten anything for days. His legs were giving out, and he felt sapped and drained of energy. He needed sustenance. Immediately. His vision was hopelessly blurry by now, so he tried to rely on his senses of sounds and smells.

_Will I make it?_

He inhaled deeply, while clinging onto a pole of some sort for support. To him, time was running out. He was sweating profusely, as the heat was getting to him. People stared at him strangely. The air smelt of so many different things, like the fragrance of pine trees, the stench of a hundred sweaty people all crowed together, a sticky, sweet smell, a whiff of a cheesy smell…

_Food!_

He managed, with great difficulty, to form a lopsided grin on his sweaty face. Then, he stumbled away.

* * *

"I've looked everywhere. He's not here." Mercy Gates huffed and puffed as she ran towards her parents, who were standing in the centre of the fairground. Ben and Abigail Gates looked equally tired and frustrated.

"Maybe he went into the circus tent. You know, nosing around backstage?" Abigail asked.

"No, he has a phobia of clowns. Besides, I already checked there." Ben said, mopping his forehead with a handkerchief.

"This sucks! Where on earth could he be?" Mercy said angrily.

"You've ruined our family day out." Abigail glared at Ben.

"Me? What did I do?" Ben asked, surprised at where the finger was pointing.

"You invited him along!"

"I didn't know he could pull a Houdini in a fairground!"

"He's been you friend for ages! You should have had him all figured out!"

"I have! He has a cellphone, Abi – ever heard of one? If he's truly lost, he'll call us."

"If I know him, he's probably sat on it and broken it or something," Mercy quipped. "You know what he's like."

Ben looked confused for a while, then a big grin formed on his face. He grabbed his daughter and shook her by her shoulders. "You did it!" He let her go and ran into the crowd. Mercy looked in confusion at Abigail, who shrugged and followed Ben into the crowd.

The trio elbowed their way through the sea of people and children, till they began to smell a faint cheesy smell. Ben headed in the direction of the smell, and the girls followed suit.

They finally reached a kiosk, where Abigail's jaw dropped.

"Ben, you're a genius!" she breathed. Mercy's shoulders sagged in relief.

There, at the nacho stand, was the lost-and-now-found Riley Poole.

"Gross!" Mercy yelled as she noticed the cheese and crumbs on her 'uncle's' shirt. "How old are you?"

"Sorry for the inconvenience, guys," Riley chewed. "I got a little dizzy on the Ferris wheel and stopped for a snack."

He hugged the tray of nachos to his chest. "God, I love you guys," he smiled stupidly.

"That's it. I'm going to eat some well-deserved popcorn," Abigail huffed and headed back into the crowd.

"Hey, Mom, wait for me!" Mercy ran after Abigail. Ben looked on as they ran as far as they could from Riley.

Ben turned to his friend. He cocked his head to one side, as though he was waiting for something.

"Uh…sorry?" Riley grinned sheepishly. It was only then that both men noticed the tattooed guy standing behind the kiosk.

"That'll be twenty dollars, please," he said with a crooked smile. Riley looked pleadingly at Ben.

Ben sighed for the umpteenth time that day as he drew out his wallet, wondering how things could get worse.

* * *

** C'est la fin (or is it_ le_ fin? Someone tell me!).**


End file.
